Move over Wisconsin. It just does not get any gouda than Connecticut's cheeses.
In the Litchfield County borough of Bantam, Eric Schmid is head cheesemaker at Arethusa Farm Dairy, whose aged Gouda -- Schmid calls it Europa -- earned the top score -- a near perfect 98.73 -- at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. Schmid calls it a welcome surprise, but said Europa is one great cheese.
Agreeing, one judge praises Europa's "complexity, sweetness and visceral memory it leaves on your tongue."
